Stakeholders Weigh In On The American Music Fairness Act

WASHINGTON D.C. (CelebrityAccess) — Digital collection society SoundExchange announced its support for the reintroduced American Music Fairness Act (AMFA), which would require broadcasters to pay creators for AM/FM radio plays.

“Music creators have been forced to give away their work for far too long. It is time for Congress to demonstrate that they stand behind the hard-working Americans that provide the music we all love by finally passing the American Music Fairness Act,” said Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange. “This bill has the broad support of artists, labels, small broadcasters, unions, and others because it strikes a fair balance by respecting creators for their work and protecting truly local broadcasters. No more excuses, no more waiting in line for their turn. Music creators demand the economic justice AMFA provides.”

The bill, which has been pushed forward in the U.S. Senate by Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and in the House by Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Jerry Nadler (D-NY), imposes performance fees on broadcast radio stations. The bill provides some protection for community broadcasters such as college radio stations by limiting licensing fees to as little as $10 to $500 a year.

Unsurprisingly, the National Assocation of Broadcasters decried the legislation, calling for change to the current system but stating that the currently proposed legislation would create an undue burden for local radio.

“Local radio stations and performers have built a strong, mutually beneficial partnership that has endured for over a century. This partnership provides enormous value for new and established performers, local broadcast stations and the tens of millions of radio listeners that rely on our uniquely free service. Unfortunately, AMFA would destroy that relationship with a new government-imposed performance fee that is simply untenable for local radio. We urge the record labels to join us at the negotiating table to discuss a win-win solution to this issue that would benefit both performers and local broadcasters. But this one-sided legislation is not the answer,” NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said in statement on Thursday.

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